Okay let me try this -- my internet connection is very spotty. I hope it's not gonna choke on me. Anyway, this is not my normal long-winded review (thank god), but after watching this kick-ass and gratifying 100th episode, I'm left with this

burning question:

Dean said yes, didn't he?! True, he didn't say it to Michael in his "face", but he said it to the middleman -- the "guy" who broke the deal, so that counts, doesn't it?

Which means if Dean doesn't want Michael to "wear him to the prom", he would have to avoid the archangel with every means he got in the future. I think he only narrowly escaped being possessed by Michael here.

But I can't help thinking something fundamental about Dean has changed/evolved -- because how else could he have been able to kill another angel? Back in S4 episode 16 ("On the Head of a Pin"), it was established (via Uriel) that only an angel could kill another angel -- however, that in itself is convoluted because if true, the war between angels and demons is rather moot, isn't it? Regardless, that is what's been said, and I'm sticking to it for the moment. So unless the writers are going to ignore continuity, Dean has to have some angel grace in him to be able to ice Zachariah, I think.

Also in the past, Dean was not able to look directly into an angel's light, even a dying angel's. If I remember correctly, he had to shield his eyes when Anna's corporeal form burst into the intense light -- twice. So why was he able to stare at Zachariah's this time? Stare at it so intently he did that the reflection almost made his own eyes look transformed. That I believe is a CGI that was added intentionally, and I think it has a deeper meaning than a mere throwaway cool effect.

And then there's the title of this week's episode -- Point of No Return. If anything, I think that suggests something is moving forward to the point that they couldn't retrace back to where it was. I admit before watching the episode, I was very much worried it was referring to the brothers' relationship. But afterward, I realized that was not it (thank goodness).

Another lesser burning question was are we gonna see Adam again? In particular a Michael possessed Adam. At the conclusion of the episode, it was left in the open what happened to the third Winchester offspring. True, he wasn't the ideal vessel for Michael, but he was available. So did Michael pull a "Lucifer" and took a less than perfect deal? To be honest, as far as I'm concerned, I hope it was not the case -- for the simple fact that I don't wish to have the story diluted. Zachariah, although spiteful, spoken the truth here: Adam is the "illegitimate" half-brother of the ones that I do care about. With that being said, I concede Adam was used most effectively in this episode, adding to the story of Sam 'n Dean. I just don't wish to see it repeated often.

So what do you all think? I would love to hear your thinky thoughts on this.

p.s. Who else think Dean looked especially pretty in this week's episode? He's always pretty of course (and so was Sam), but I think this week he was "lit" (or "filtered") differently here. I particularly felt this during the scene in the panic room. Dean's face was much more vivid, his lips were almost "cherry-red", while Sam's face was devoid of its color:

Dean in panic room:Sam in panic room:

I wonder if the technical choice wasn't made intentionally to emphasize the state of the protagonists: Dean as the one made peace with his decision to sacrifice himself, and Sam as the one most anxious over what his brother (and later on brothers) was planning on doing. All in all, this was indeed an excellent episode.

p.p.s. Just when I thought I finished with my questions, I remembered the letter. Did anyone made out what Dean has written? And to whom the letter was addressed? I kinda think the letter was meant for Sam, simply because all the rest of the stuff he put in that box had to meant for Sam -- the leather jacket, the key to the Impala, his favorite handgun (gosh, just typing it up is giving me the chill and making me misty eyed). Anyway, here's the screencap of the letter. It's the best I can do at the moment:

Please tell me what he wrote here (or part of it). I'm so blind I can't make out a thing!

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Comments

There's a discussion over that letter here. But man, Dean's writing is NEAT. That kind of messed with the canon in my head that his writing is chicken-scrawl, him being a drop-out and all. But maybe since it was an important, goodbye letter, he made the effort to write neatly.

Wouldn't it be cool if Michael's already inside Dean without anyone realizing it? That Michael's able to use Dean without Dean losing his Dean-ess, that Dean is still Dean but with Michael there with him?

I think he has to say "yes" directly to Michael, in order for it to count.

Mmm... That could be the case. But if so, I think it's so redundant and ineffective of the angels to have a "middleman" making the deal in the first place.

He also said he'd only do it, if his conditions were met.

Also could be true, and in this case, the condition is met -- Zachariah is incinerated.

As to how angels were killed -- Yes, Alistair said the demons didn't do it. But Castiel didn't really believe him. It wasn't until the disclosure that Angels can only be killed by other Angels came the irrefutable prove that those killings wasn't done by demonic powers. However, like you said, what Uriel said here didn't make much sense to me either, why would Demon go to war with these angels if they couldn't even kill them?

I agree it was odd that Dean was able to kill the false prophet in "99 Problems". What's funny was when I watched the ep with my friend, we kept yelling to the TV: "She's not dead, she's not dead!" But then she was, and Dean took off. So I was shocked.

But surely with an intention to say yes is different from actually saying yes, right? So I wonder if there's more twist behind why Dean was able to kill the "Whore".

I'm almost sure Dean formally said yes here. True he didn't say it to Michael, but he said it to the deal broker. So I think if Michael can catch up with Dean, he is now able to possess Dean (run, Dean, run!)

About Dean, I thought more or less the same with you. And I think the writers are establishing something about him since last episode when he killed the whore. Who knows perhaps Dean is not a human anymore. I'm so excited about it actually.

Yeah, I also think there's twist implied with the fact Dean was able to kill the false prophet. I just don't think a mere intention to say "yes" to Michael turns him into a "servant of Heaven". I actually thought meant one of the two thing: Dean either already has some angel grace (maybe put inside him when Mary was pregnant); or his refusal of Michael is what God wants him to do, hence he's servicing Heaven according to God's wishes.

Who knows. I think these are some tantalizing loose ends or breadcrumbs the writers left us with. Let's hope they get addressed and cleaned up before the season is over!

You got a point there my lovely friend. When I saw the episodes I only dismissed it cause he had the sword and everything, but it was last time with the whore too. But then people said that the true servant of God could mean nothing more than what the actual words mean.

As for continuity, I don't know after we lost the ring, I think writers are getting slopy and don't tell me you were convinced with Jensen's diminishing the ring at the LA con. We had it for 5 years and now it means nothing.What I'm trying to say is usually Kripke has it all planned in his head, but maybe after 5 years, maybe not so much anymore.

Anyway long comments. Hearts and hugs and wishing you an amazing weeekend.

Sweetie, thanks for the lovely comment. Sorry I'm so late to reply. I suck sometimes.

And like you, I don't buy what Jensen said about the ring either. There's definitely a story behind why he "lost" the ring and the bracelet together in the middle of the 5th season. The timing is everything I think, but if he's unwilling to diverge, I'll just chalk it up to Dean misplaced his accessories. ;-)

And Kripke! I wonder if Mary calling Dean her "little angel" would end up like Mary telling Sam "I'm sorry" -- that there's more to it than what meets the eye.

First, I can't tell what the letter says, but when watching, I just assumed it was to Sam.

Yes, Jensen looked especially hot this episode. How about that wink he gave Sam?? Holy cow!!!!

I have the same questions about Dean killing Zach and how he was able to look right into Zach's eyes. I'm also wondering, since he said "yes" to Zach, then Michael showed up, what that means. I wouldn't be surprised if this all ends up the way the angels and demons have said--both boys playing their parts as meat suits. I half think that Kripke thinks that we don't think he'll go there ("team free will" and all), so he will go there. I hope not, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I don't really care for the third brother storyline (I didn't like it from the get go), but I had the same thought as you (that Michael would take Adam much like Lucifer took Nick).

Actually, I had alot of issues with this episode. I wanted to take all of the characters (except Zach) and shake them at one point or another. I do think the acting was top-notch, but I feel like the writers have forgotten some things that I, as a viewer, haven't, which is why I was irritated at the episode.

But, to reiterate again, Jensen/Dean was looking especially fine in this one!!!!

Hee, I always do a double take whenever I see Zachariah referred as Zach. I don't know why I get thrown off thinking it's about Zak, you know, Lee's little brother? \o/

It would be interesting to see if Kripke's attitude about destiny is different from RDM's. In that sense, I'm very eager to see how season 5 is going to play out.

I don't get why people say Adam (Jake Abel) was Dean (Jensen) like. To me, aside from them having the same hair style and dressed in almost identical clothes, they look nothing alike. Character wise, Adam was rather flat to me. He's mostly petulant, not a character I'd have patience to get to know.

Oh dear, I do hope you would elaborate your issues here! *pretty please*

Yes, Jensen was especially fine in this episode. And I don't just mean his looks. Then again, I'm a broken record in repeating how fine an actor Jensen is. What impressed me also was how good Jared played Sam here. Those scenes in the panic room? Tremendous!

Heehee, maybe there's a proverbial "switch" in Dean that got turned on somehow since "99 Problems" (hey that's why he could kill the "Whore"). At least it wasn't triggered by Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"! ;-)

Seriously though, I know what you mean here.

But I can't settle on whether I wish to see the boys fulfill their destiny as Michael and Lucifer's vessels and then beat the odds and rewrite "history", or having them "screw destiny" altogether like they vowed to do.

Like you said, I also believe Sam and Dean's saving grace -- their ultimate weapon -- is their love & devotion to each other. What Dean and Sam has between them I believe is much stronger than whatever was between Michael and Lucifer. So Dean might be wrong here -- the power of love might just save the day in the end.

I too am curious about what was on Kripke's mind. How different his take on Destiny would compare to RDM's. Would Kripke believe What happened before will happen again? ;-)